1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to computer interfaces and, more particularly, to a method and system of providing browser functionality through a button or toolbar of a browser.
2. Description of Related Art
When accessing the Internet and the World Wide Web, an Internet user typically executes, via a computer, a browser software program such as, for example, Netscape Navigator™ or Microsoft™ Internet Explorer™. The browser program (i.e., a browser) establishes a link to the Internet (via a modem and an Internet Service Provider (ISP), for example) and also provides a textual and graphical user interface (for example, an application window), and included in the application window, a window for displaying Internet content (for example, a browser window) and toolbars for interfacing with the browser.
The toolbars assist a user in interfacing with the browser. Toolbars can include textual regions, graphical regions, or a combination of both textual and graphical regions. Selecting an item on a toolbar by, for example, a mouse click, can instruct the browser to perform a certain function, or such selection may open a menu of items from which a user can choose from a plurality of items. Other browser toolbars allow a user to enter an Internet address and instruct the browser to navigate to that address. Some of the browser functions that can be implemented include, for example, save, forward, back, stop and refresh.
A deficiency with present browser systems, however, is that the toolbars and their buttons are typically static in their look and functionality. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved method and system for toolbars and toolbar buttons with added functionality and richer content. In addition, although present browser systems allow users to make modifications to the toolbar settings, a deficiency with present browser systems is that the settings are limited to the computer where the modifications were implemented, and once set, are the same for each user who uses a computer. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved method and system for providing customizable buttons for a browser.